oil & gas

Woodside: Fitting a large rig deck by ‘float-over’ method.

Key facts

01.

Client

Woodside Energy Ltd, Western Australia

02.

Asset

Steel jacket and deck for North Rankin B

03.

Location

North West Shelf, offshore Western Australia

Client challenge

We have a strong, ongoing relationship with Woodside. Our validation and verification services to the North Rankin Redevelopment (NR2) project were performed under our frame agreement with Woodside for the provision of validation and classification services. Besides North Rankin 2, we provide validation, operations verification and/or classification to the majority of Woodside’s new offshore projects and existing assets (including the North Rankin Complex, Goodwyn A, Angel and Pluto fixed facilities). We also support the ongoing refurbishment of North Rankin A, one of the world’s largest capacity gas-production platforms, following the installation of North Rankin B alongside this facility.

Installing North Rankin B platform presented its own unique challenges. Fitting the deck by ‘float-over’ method made this project one of the largest of its kind in the world. One of our client’s core requirements was to connect the new platform by two, 100-metre bridges to the existing North Rankin A offshore facility.

How we helped

Our team of structural and foundations’ experts helped contribute to North Rankin B’s success, backed up by our extensive knowledge of the existing North Rankin A facility and local regulatory environment. This was a global effort.

Detailed design review of the jacket and deck was performed by our Kuala Lumpur office, supported by specialists based in our Aberdeen and London offices.

The jacket was constructed at PT McDermott Indonesia’s fabrication facilities in Batam, Indonesia, and the deck at Hyundai Heavy Industries’ yard, Ulsan, South Korea. Our surveyors attended both sites, as well as a number of equipment vendors worldwide.

Our independent validation and verification services helped to assure our client that the business complied with regulations, and that project contractors met the desired performance standards.

Business benefits

North Rankin B is now in production and, with North Rankin A, operates as a single integrated facility, the North Rankin Complex.